J&K regional parties join anti-CEC protests in Kashmir; Mehbooba, Omar liken Delhi situation to Kashmir of 2019

Jammu & Kashmir’s regional parties, the ruling National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Saturday (October 10, 2026) joined Congress-led protests in Kashmir at the call of the INDIA bloc, which is seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over the alleged voter list fraud. Meanwhile, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti likened the security restrictions in Delhi with that of Kashmir of 2019. 

Also Read: Anti-CEC Delhi protest updates on October 10

Carrying their party flags, dozens of NC and PDP workers, including women, assembled at the Congress party headquarters in Srinagar. The workers’ attempt to march on the streets of Lal Chowk was disallowed by the security forces. The protesters were carrying placards of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and CEC Kumar. They were demanding the resignation of the CEC over what they described as “vote chori” (vote theft).

Joint protests by the INDIA bloc parties were also held in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal and south Kashmir’s Anantnag. 

“Workers of the NC, PDP and CPI(M) are jointly and peacefully holding a protest. We seek an inquiry into the functioning of CEC Kumar and his resignation. Those responsible for vote theft should face the law. Also, we stand with the leaders at the national level,” said Gayas Ahmad, a protester in Ganderbal.  

As Delhi witnessed a security clampdown and internet shutdown ahead of the protests on Friday (October 9), J&K CM Abdullah, in a post on X, likened it to the situation in Kashmir in 2019, when the Centre ended the region’s special status. “The Kashmir model has been exported to Delhi. Welcome to the New Delhi, modelled on New Jammu and Kashmir,” said Mr. Abdullah, in the post.

Commenting on the situation in Delhi, former J&K Chief Minister and PDP chief Ms. Mufti, in a post on X, said, “Today’s Delhi is a chilling reminder of Kashmir after the unconstitutional abrogation of Article 370. People were locked in their homes, the internet was shut down, and an entire region was placed under siege”.

She said the BJP then brazenly claimed that nobody had protested. “Today, with Delhi under siege, trains halted, and roads to Jantar Mantar sealed, they may repeat the same lie, claiming that nobody protested against Gyanesh Kumar. First crush the protest, then deny it ever happened. This is how enforced silence is passed off as consent,” said Ms. Mufti.